Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surrounding environment recognition device for detecting traffic signal lights using a peripheral image.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-168592 (hereinafter referred to as “JP 2012-168592A”) discloses the detection of red light signals Lr and arrow signals A of traffic lights S, based on images T that are captured by an image capturing means 2 (abstract). According to JP 2012-168592A, it is disclosed that, upon detection of an arrow signal A, the recognition method is switched corresponding to the distance to a red light signal Lr (FIG. 15).
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-034693 (hereinafter referred to as “JP 2007-034693A”) discloses extracting a red color luminance part from an image captured by a front monitoring camera 4, to thereby detect a red signal light of a traffic signal (abstract and paragraph [0017]). Further, in the case that a red signal light is detected, a judgment is made as to whether or not the traffic signal exists on the traveling path of the driver's own vehicle (abstract). Whether or not the traffic signal exists on the path of the driver's own vehicle is judged using map information from a navigation device 11 (paragraph (0027)).